Press translations [Japan]. Social Series 0164, 1946-01-13.

Summary:

Three months have already elapsed since the municipal authorities started the construction of temporary houses to tide over the winter, Nevertheless, the majority of air raid victims are still forced to live in miserable dugout shacks or live in the same houses with their relatives or acquaintances, thus undergoing a great deal of inconveniences.

Up to date only 2,612 temporary houses out of 55,000 projected by the Housing Corporation have been completed. As for the plan drafted by the Metropolitan authorities to complete 5,000 houses out of a scheduled total of 10,000 by the end of last year, only 273 have been completed, and 1,325 are still under construction. On the other hand the utilization of little-damaged primary schools and other buildings is proceeding steadily. Some 130 rooms of 21 primary schools in the Capital, including the TSURUMAKI Primary School in USHIGOME-Ku, and 108 rooms of seven private buildings, including the ASADA BUILDING, have been completed. Besides, partitions have been erected in 13 former military barracks, including those of the TOBU 17th Unit in SETAGAYA-Ku.

Furthermore, 15,000 koku of timber have been delivered especially for the repair of 34,000 dugout shacks and temporary sheds, the average allotment of which is only 0.5 koku per person. Such a small allotment is absolutely insufficient. Only 20 of the former dormitories for war workers have so far been put back into use. Among these plans the most important is the construction of temporary houses. Due to the revision of the Timber Control Law, which has been in force since last December, the arrival of timber to the Capitol, which amounted to approximately 5,000 koku per day, has stopped completely. It is quite impossible to hope for further deliveries for the time being. Complete removal of control will result in black market prices, and the average citizen will not be able to pay rent even if the houses are built by the housing corporation. The chief hindrance toward the construction of dwellings is that not a stick of wood has arrived in TOKYO since the law was enacted. The only solution is to improve the present timber control regulations.

Summary:

A. Thieves with Trucks.

Two burglaries were committed by a group employing trucks for the purpose.

On 9 January, a group of ten thieves, driving two trucks, broke into

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a warehouse of the KALPIS Company (a confectionary company) of 683 KITANO, MITAKA-Cho, KITATAMA-Gun, and threatened TAKASHIMA, Beiko, who was in charge of the house, and three others. The burglars loaded the trucks with thirty or forty hyo of sugar and carried it away. The MUSASHINO Police Station took emergency measures but in vain.

On 9 January, a group of ten thieves broke into a warehouse of the Spirits Distribution Company at 6, I-Chome, SARUE-Cho, FUKAGAWA-Ku. They had two trucks and stole 200 litres of specially distilled alcohol, worth 62,000 yen. The FUKAGAWA Police Station is investigating the crime. These crimes, together with the crimes by a group of 45 persons with nine trucks on 8 January and a group of eight persons with two trucks on the same day, have aroused public concern due to the fact that the members of each group are increasing. The TOKYO Police Office thinks that these groups are backed by a mighty organization, and each group is related to the other. They are carrying on investigations along this line.

B. Three thieves with pistols.

Three crimes were committed by a group of three. One of them was about 30 years old, 5.5 Shoku tall, and wore a battle cap; another was about 22 years old, 5.2 Shoku tall, and wore shoes made of something other than leather. All three were apparently demobilized soldiers.

On 10 January two burglars broke into the house of TANAKA, Idachiro, engineer, of 1117, J-Chome, ZOSHIGAYA, where they blindfolded and gagged the family, and stole overcoat, a suit, and 660 yen.

On the same day three burglars appeared at the house of OKABE, Nobuyasu, aged 31 guardian of the Imperial Palace, of 31, 1-Chome, of the same district, and stole 2,300 yen and two watches. On the same day, this group broke into the house of KIKUCHI, aged 40, a Shinto priest, at 20, 9 Chome, OTOHA-Che, KOISHIGAWA-Ku, and stole 1000 yen, some clothing, and watches.

C. A Burglary Case in URAWA.

On 9 January, two burglars shouted "A telegram for you," in front of the house of OKASUMI, Yatare, aged farmer, of 4190, OAZA SHIMOSA-SAME NATSUHAMA, MISASA-Mura, KITAADACHI-Gun, SAITAMA-Ken, and SETSOKO, his wife, who was alone in the house, opened the door, they rushed in and bound her, stealing 1000 yen, a deposit-note, and 20 or 30 pieces of cloth. Moreover, they drank a She of sake, boiled some rice and ate it. They then put the wife in a closet, nailed the door, and ran away.

Summary:

The NAKANO and KOENJI Districts have now became the favorite resort for thieves. The police seem to be powerless in face of this outbreak of crime.

Twenty members of the TOKYO police office were on duty in the NAKANO District, assisting the NAKANO police, and 17 policemen from YAKANO Police Station made their rounds in the District. Moreover, each neighborhood association has organized a crime-precaution Prevention Association, but in spite of these measures there have been seven cases of thieving and 1,700 yen was stolen on the night of 9 January. A

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reporter from TOKYO SHIMBUN spent 10 hours in these districts on the night of the 9th and made the following report.

"They break through our doors, so it is useless to lock them, and we are now going to live in the air raid shelters," Said a member of the neighborhood association. A policeman said, "The fact that the number of crimes is increasing was obvious from about 5 January. On the night of 7 January, a total of sixty street-robbery and house-breaking cases were reported. The MINAMIGUCHI-Cho and KAKOI-Cho Crime Prevention Associations have 80 members on patrol. The MIYAMOMO-Cho Association has ten members.

Members rest for a short time in the office and, then go out on patrol, saying "While we are resting a crime may be committed".

"Just after 2100," said one member, "a whistle was heard, in the cold wind. I sprang up instantly and ran into the dark street. A girl's shriek was heard at the cross-road of 4-Chome, MIYASONO Dori. There by a fence a girl, aged 17 was fighting with three tall men, who fled instantly upon hearing the noise of our footsteps. The girl also ran into the darkness." At the same time, at apartment called KYOWASO, at 22 UCHIKOSHI-Cho, YOSHIOKA, Yotsuko, a waitress in the cafe SHONAN, cried, for help. A tall man had seen the girl in pyjamas as she was going to the toilet, broke into the apartment, knocked down anyone in the apartment who stood in his way and was looking for the girl to rape her. He was, however, arrested by a military policeman, who was celled.

A member of the inspection division reports: At 2210, on MIYASONO hill, 9-Chome, NAKA OEKINAE-Cho, a drunken man was walking along, followed by three men, and behind them came a man with a sack on his back. The three men, on hearing the steps of the two others, hid themselves at the side of the NAKANO branch of the NITSUBISHI Bank. When the drunkard and the man with the sack tame nearer, the three men stopped them and searched them quickly without uttering a word, then disappeared.

Summary:

Four authors of the SOVIET UNION have visited JAPAN recently. They are Mr. Konstantin M. SIMONOV, (aged 30), play writer and poet, AGAPOV (aged 47), essasyist and literary critic, RADOREVATCHO (aged 39), literary and political critic, and GALBATOV (aged 38), a novelist. All of them are leading authors who belong to the MOSCOW Authors' Union. Among them, Mr. SIMONOV has played an active part as war correspondent, having been on the Western front during the war. He is one of the rising popular authors and has written "The Russian People" and several other best sellers. He is a graduate of the Literature Department of MOSCOW University. The following is the report of an ASAHI reporter who interviewed these Soviet authors at the Correspondents' Club (former MARUNOCHI Hotel).

ASAHI reporter: "Please tell me of your impressions of JAPAN?"

Mr. SIMOFOV: "There are various types of impressions", answered Mr. SIMONOV, after keeping silent for a while as if his head were filled with profound thought. "I don't want to give you an external and hasty impression", he continued, "I want to give you ray 'impression of JAPAN' after studying it thoroughly and after reaching a final conclusion." He answered carefully in a manner suitable for a man

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of letters.

ASAHI reporter: What is your object in visiting JAPAN?

Mr. SHIMOVOV: "I will answer your question with pleasure," he stated. "We have come to JAPAN to investigate and study the present state of cultural, scientific, and social development in JAPAN, with the aim of writing a report, entitled 'JAPAN' by the four of us. For this purpose we want in the first place to get acquainted with the present state of your national life, politics, social situation, science, literature, etc. We should be very happy, if we can someday succeed in making the public of the SOVIET UNION understand JAPAN correctly through this project," he concluded.

DISTRIBUTION "X"

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